Becks snubs Chelsea to stay in Spain

England captain David Beckham plans to stay at Real Madrid and his wife and children will move to Spain, the couple said in a statement on Thursday, quashing speculation about their future.

"I have a long-term commitment to Real and to my life in Spain. I've been here for one season and it feels like the job's not done yet," Beckham said in a statement released by a London public relations company.

Beckham, who moved to Madrid from Manchester United last year, has had a troubled year in the Spanish capital.

The team ended the season without a trophy while the Beckhams faced a media frenzy over allegations - denied by the player - that he had an affair with his former personal assistant, 26-year-old Rebecca Loos.

Victoria's arrival

The refusal of Beckham's pop star wife Victoria to move to Spain to be with her husband fuelled media speculation about the England captain's marriage.

The statement released on Thursday seemed aimed at killing any such gossip as well as rumours that Beckham might seek a move after only one season in Madrid.

Speculation has run high that Beckham could move to Chelsea, which has been buoyed by the wealth of Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.

The statement said however that the Beckhams, Britain's number one celebrity couple, had taken on a new lease on a Spanish property.

It said former Spice Girl Victoria would be moving from the couple's British base to live in Madrid with their sons Brooklyn and Romeo.

"Brooklyn will be enrolled at a Spanish school and Victoria will be continuing her career from her new Spanish home," the statement said.

"The time is now right for the children to move to Madrid and we are all looking forward to it enormously. It is a fantastic city with wonderful people and David and I are looking forward to strengthening our links with both. We are all very excited," Victoria Beckham said in the statement.

Strong support

David Beckham said he had received amazing support from the fans in Madrid "and I would like to see them repaid with success. Victoria shares my vision of our life here together."

Beckham's season in Madrid began brightly but his form in Spain's Primera Liga has dipped sharply, in line with that of the star-studded team of "galacticos" that also includes Brazil's Ronaldo, France's Zinedine Zidane and Portugal's Luis Figo.

Beckham's season ended early last weekend with a dispiriting defeat and a sending-off that symbolised his team's miserable campaign.

Real Madrid's hopes of a league, cup and Champions League treble went out of the window with a disastrous loss of form, blamed by many on the lack of depth of Madrid's squad.

The statement seemed aimed at dispelling the speculation swirling around Beckham as he prepares to lead England at Euro 2004 in Portugal next month.